Apparatus for cold treating mineral oil



y 1957 P. L. SISSON 3,318,383

APPARATUS FOR COLD TREATING MINERAL OIL Filed Oct. 27, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 3 e I 6 L 1| 1| 0 9 2 w 20 M, l

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May 9, 1967 P. L; SISSON 3,318,383

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'ww, M g wma United States Patent 3,318,383 APPARATUS FUR COLD TREATING MINERAL OIL Purdy Lee Sisson, ()ltlahoma City, Okla assignor to Par-A-Gone, Inc., Mount Gilead, Ohio, a corporation of Oklahoma Filed Oct. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 406,695 8 Claims. (Cl. 16668) This invention relates to apparatus for cold treating crude mineral oil.

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for cold treating crude mineral oil which enables the said oil to be recovered in a state in which the base material consisting of either paraffin or asphalt is dissolved within the oil.

Another object of the present invention resides in provision of apparatus for cold treating crude mineral oil wherein the contained aqueous emulsion of paraffin or asphalt is broken up with the treated oil having the parafiin or asphalt dissolved therein and the water freed from the emulsion in suspension in the treated oil.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for carrying out the cold treating of crude mineral oil which is simple in construction, highly efficient in operation, and commercially feasible.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for carrying out the cold treating of crude mineral oil wherein there are no moving parts, and there is a continuous flow of oil and the treating agent therefor.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1, and illustrating the internal structure of the riser.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1, and illustrating the internal structure of the settling tower.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 1, and illustrating the internal structure of the treating tower.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken on the line 88 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of the well casing, the tubing and pump mounted therein, and the pipe associated with the tubing for carrying the treating agent from the surface to the pump at the lower end of the tubing.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged bottom plan view taken on the line 1tll0 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view taken on the line 11I1 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 12- 12 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary elevational view taken on the line 1313 of FIGURE 12.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus for carrying out the method of cold treating crude mineral oil containing aqueous emulsion of parafiin or asphalt of this invention, comprises a supply line 10 which contains the aforesaid oil, the supply line receiving the aforesaid oil from a source above the ground and not shown, as in FIGURE 2, or the supply line may include, FIGURE 9,

a well casing 12 extending from the ground surface to a well, not shown, with the sectional tubing 14 carrying a flow tube 17 depending from the lower end of a pump 16 mounted within the casing 12. A control valve 18 is in the supply line 10 for regulating the flow of oil from the supply line 10.

A riser 20 is positioned adjacent the supply line 10, and a first conduit 22 connects the supply line 10 to the bottom of the riser 20. A treating tower 24 is disposed adjacent to and spaced from the riser 20, and a second conduit 26 connects the top of the riser 20 with the top of the treating tower 24.

A first means is in the riser 20 for converting a body of the aforesaid crude mineral oil, when contained in the riser, into the form of an ascending ebullient column. Specifically, this means embodies a fixed unit comprising a standard 27, and a plurality of discs 28 disposed in vertical spaced relation therealong, the discs being equally spaced from each other and held in spaced relation by means of a spacer block 30 between the adjacent discs. The standard 27 is of a length to extend substantially the entire length of the riser 20, and each of the discs 28 contains a plurality of preferably equally spaced apertures 32 extending over its entire area, and is of a cir cumference to just freely fit Within the riser. The unit is fixedly held in the riser 20 by means of an anchor rod 34 which is supported in the top of the riser 20 and bears against the top of the standard 27, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The apertures 32 in the discs 28 of the riser 20 vary in size depending upon the specific gravity of the crude mineral oil containing aqueous emulsion of parafiin or asphalt to be treated. For treating such mineral oil of a specific gravity from 10 to 25 the apertures should be each of of an inch in size. For treating such mineral oil of a specific gravity from 25 to 40 the apertures should be each of A of an inch in size. For treating mineral oil of a specific gravity from 40 to 60 the apertures should be each of of an inch in size. By providing the discs 28 with apertures 32 of the size corresponding to the specific gravity of the crude mineral oil to be treated and in a number sufiicient over the entire area of the discs, a flow pattern varying from 1 to 1% inch flow velocity can be obtained depending upon the barrels of production which is required to fiow through the riser 20.

A second means is within the treating tower 24 for converting a body of the aforesaid crude mineral oil, when contained therein, into the form of a descending whirling ebullient column. Specifically, this means embodies a fixed unit, FIGURE 6, comprising an upstanding tube 34 of a diameter less than that of the treating tower 24 and extending from the top to the bottom of the tower. The tube 34 is provided with a plurality of spaced holes 36 throughout its entire length, and fixedly disposed within the tube 34 in vertical spaced relation are a plurality of spiral screws 38. In the space between adjacent screws 38 and below the lowermost screw 38 is a pair of right and left-hand fins 40 and 41 arranged in vertical relation with the right-hand fins of the respective pairs uppermost and the left-hand fins lowermost. A horizontal baffie 41' extends from the tube 34 to the wall of the treating tower 24 and is located between the left-hand fins 41 and the adjacent spiral screw 38, the bafile serving to collect sand that may be present in the descending column of the aforesaid oil. The unit is fixedly supported in the top and bottom of the treating tower 24, as shown in FIGURE 6.

The holes 38 in the tube 34 of-the treating tower 24 will vary in size depending upon the specific gravity of the crude mineral oil containing aqueous emulsion of parafiin or asphalt to be treated. For treating such mineral oil of a specific gravity fromto the holes 36 should be each of A of an inch in size, for such mineral 3 1 oil of a specific gravity from to the holes 36' should oil of a specific gravity of from 10 to 25 the holes 36 shouldbe each of of an inch in size, the number of the respective holes 36 in the tube 34 being based upon the barrels of production which is required to flow through the treating tower 24.

A separator tower 42 is positioned adjacent the treating'tower 24 when such tower is for recovering the treated oil in separate fractions of oil-containing solution of paraffin or asphalt and of water. A third conduit 44 connects the bottom of the treating tower 24 with the separator tower 42.:i The separator tower 42 comprises a condenser 43 which isprovided with a plurality of overlapping vertically-spaced baffles 46, the third conduit 44 being connected to a nozzle 45 supported in the sidewall'of the condenser 43 below and adjacent the lowermost baffle 46, as shown in FIGURE 5. The top of the condenser 43 is connected by a fourth conduit 47 to the top of a closed separator 48. Extending transversely across the midpoint of the separator 48'is a filter 49, and extending transversely across the separator 48 adjacent to and spaced above the bottom 51 of the separator is a false bottom 52,

thezspace between the false bottom 52 and the bottom 51 forming a water-collection chamber 51'. A fifth conduit 53 connects the bottom of the condenser 43 to the watercollection chamber 51', and a sixth conduit 54 connects the water-collection chamber 51' to a trap 55, the trap 55 being connected to the inlet 56 of a pump 57. The pump 57 is provided with an outlet 58 for discharge to a collection tank, not shown, the outlet 58 having a valve 58 therein for controlling the flow of water therefrom. The separator 48 is provided with a blow-off valve 60, a discharge outlet for gas indicated by the numeral 61, and a discharge outlet 69 for the separated fraction of treated oil containing paraffin or asphalt dissolved therein.

A reservoir tower for containing a supply of deemulsifying agent is disposed between the treating tower 24 and the separator tower 42. A discharge tubing 66 connects the reservoir tower 6 5 with a supplyline 10, the tubing being provided with a regulating valve 70, FIG- URE 1. As shown in FIGURE 1, the discharge tubing 66 is directly connected to the control valve 18. As shown in FIGURE 9, the discharge tubing 66 extends exteriorly along the sectional tubing 14 and pump '16, and is directly connected to the flow tube 17, as to a nozzle 67, FIGURE 11, supported in the wall of the flow tube 17 adjacent thebottom open end thereof. The flow tube17, as shown in FIGURE 11, has a plurality of baffles 68 arranged in vertical overlapping relation, the baffles 68 serving to separate the sand particles from the inflow of crude. mineral oil from the well. The flow tube 17 may be equipped with an ejector, if desired, the ejector serving to prevent a heavy build-up of parafiin at the faces of the bafiles 68.

The discharge tubing 66 is detachably connected to the sectional-tubing 14 at a plurality of pointsspaced therealongby detachable clamp means 71. The clamp means 71 embodies a band 72, FIGURE 12, encircling the sectional tubing 14 and discharge tubing 66 with its inturned one end 73 received within-its overlapped other end 74,the said ends being fixedly attached together by application of a compressive force .to the outer end 74.

Detachment of the clamp means 71 may be effected by knocking off the attached ends 73 and 74.

Disposed adjacentthe reservoir tower 65 is a cylinder 75 for containing an inert gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, under pressure, the cylinder being connected, FIGURE 2, to a float-operable valve 76' disposed within the reservoir tower 65 adjacent the bottom thereof by means of a conduit 77 connected in communication with the cylinder 75 and extending from'the cylinder 75 through the top of the reservoir tower 65 and down through the reservoir tower 65 to the float-operable valve 76. It is' to be noted that the float-operable valve 76 serves to shut off the flow of nitrogen into the reservoir tower 65 in the event of the pressure rising above the set limit, and to permit the flow of nitrogen into the reservoir tower 65 when the pressure falls below the set limit. The reservoir tower 65 has a charging opening in its top which is closed by a cap 78. The top of the tower 65 also has a safety valve 79. In the conduit 77 there is a flow control valve 89.

The reservoir tower 65 contains a charge of de-emulsifying agent, and such charge is preferably placed under an atmosphere of nitrogen under a pressure of pounds per square inch. The de-emulsifying agent includes as the active constituent a solution of carbon bisulfide in xylol, and such constituent is dissolved in a liquid hydrocarbon vehicle as for example, the hydrocarbon liquid marketed under the name No 2 Diesel Oil by the Texaco Company, of New York, NY. For treating a crude mineral oil containing aqueous emulsion of paraffin or asphalt of a specific gravity of 20 to 40, a batch made up of the ingreidents and proportions is employed follows:

Gals. Carbon bisulfide 55 Xylol 55 No. 2 diesel oil 165 A batch of this composition has been found to be extremely satisfactory. Also, a batch of this composition gives satisfactory results in treating crude mineral oil of a specific gravity with the range of from 10 to 60.

For treating a crude mineral oil containing aqueous emulsion of parafiin or asphalt of the specific gravity of 10 to 20, a batch made up of the ingredients and proportions listed below has been found to give satisfactory results:

Gals. Carbon bisulfide 55 Xylol 55 No. 2 Diesel Oil Turpentine 15 A batch of this composition produces satisfactory results in treating crude mineral oil of a specific gravity within the range of from 10 to 40.

While the above-described batches have been found to give satisfactory results, it is to be understood that formulas of other proportions may be used. If desired, any of the well-known additives for example, an emulsion breaker marketed under the name Q6868, by the Aqua Ness Division of Houston, Texas, for enhancing the deemulsifyin'g action may be incorporated in small amounts in the selected formulas for the batch.

In operation, with the reservoir tower 65 containing the charge of de-emulsifying agent under the prescribed nitrogen pressure, the valve 70 is set so as to permit a flow of the agent into the supply line 10 at the rate of one drop per minute, whereupon the control valve 18 is opened, resulting in the flow of a body of crude mineral oil containing aqueous emulsion of paraffin 0r asphalt admixed with the de-emulsifying agent into the first conduit 22 and thence into the bottom of the confined space or riser 20. Because of the above-described internal construction of the riser, this body, as it flows through the riser, is converted into the form of an ascending ebullient column, the column being discharged from the riser 20 into the second conduit 26, and thence into the top of another confined space or the treating tower 24. By virtue of the abovedescribed internal construction of the treating tower 24, thebody of oil, contained in the treating tower, is converted into a descending whirling ebullient column. As this latter column fiows through the treating tower, sand that may be suspended in the body is separated out and is collected upon the bafiles 41' provided therein.

The flow of the ascending column through the confined space or riser 20 and of the descending column through the other confined space .or treating tower 24 thereby breaks up the emulsion of paraffin or asphalt, causes solution of the paraffin or asphalt in the body of oil, and suspension in said body of water free from the emulsion.

The descending column or treated oil is discharged into the third conduit 44 and conveyed through said conduit and discharged through the nozzle 45 into the condenser 43 of the separator tower 42. In the condenser 43 some of the suspended water is condensed and falls to the bot tom of the condenser and is conveyed by the fifth conduit 53 into the water-collection chamber 51 while the body of treated oil travels upwardly over the bafiles 46 and is discharged into the fourth conduit 47 into the top of the separator 48. In the separator, the oil collects in the form of a layer upon the filter 49, the gas collecting above the layer and the water passing through the filter and collecting upon the false bottom 52 from which it passes through the false bottom 52 into the water-collection chamber 51. The gas is discharged through the gas discharge outlet 61, the oil in the oil layer withdrawn through the discharge outlet 69, and the water in the collection chamber 51' is discharged through the sixth conduit 54 into the trap 55, thence through the pump inlet 56 into the pump 57 from which it is discharged through the discharge outlet 58.

The thus described invention possesses the advantages in that there are no moving parts in the apparatus, and that there is a continuous flow of de-emulsifying agent into the mineral oil flow for the duration of the consumption of the batch of such agent.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for cold treating of crude mineral oil containing an aqueous emulsion of paraifin or asphalt, a supply line for said oil, a control valve in said supply line, a riser, a first conduit connecting said supply line to the bottom of said riser, a first means in said riser for converting a body of said oil, when contained therein into the form of an ascending ebullient column, a treating tower adjacent to and spaced from said riser, a second conduit connecting the top of said riser with the top of said tower, a second means in said tower for converting a body of said oil, when contained therein, into the form of a descending whirling ebullient column, a separator tower positioned adjacent said treating tower for recovering the treated oil in separate fractions of oil containing solution of paraflin or asphalt and water, and a third conduit connecting the bottom of said treating tower with said separator tower.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first means embodies a fixed unit comprising a standard, and a plurality of discs disposed in vertical spaced relation therealong, said standard being of a length to extend substantially the entire length of the riser with each of the discs containing a plurality of spaced apertures extending over its entire area and of a circumference to just freely fit within the riser.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second means embodies a fixed unit comprising an upstanding tube of a diameter less than that of said treating tower and extending from the top to the bottom of said treating tower and being provided with a plurality of spaced holes throughout its entire length, a plurality of fixed spiral screws disposed in vertical spaced relation within said tube with a pair of right and left-hand fins positioned in the space between each of the adjacent screws and below the lowermost screw, the right-hand fins of the respective pairs being uppermost and the left-hand fins being lowermost, and a horizontal bafile extending from said tube to the wall of said treating tower and located between the left-hand fins and the adjacent spiral screw and serving to collect sand that may be present in the descending column of oil.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, which includes in addition a reservoir tower disposed between said treating tower and separator tower for containing a supply of de-emulsifying agent, and a discharge tubing connecting said reservoir tower with said supply line.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said discharge tubing is connected to the control valve in said supply line.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said supply line includes a well casing extending from the ground surface to a well with the sectional tubing carrying a pump at the lower end and a flow tube depending from the pump mounted within said casing, and wherein said discharge tube extends exteriorly along said sectional tubing and pump and is directly connected to the flow tube depending from said pump, and detachable clamp means detachably securing said discharge tube to the sectional tubing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apertures in the respective discs are all of the same size selected so as to provide together a flow of treated oil through said unit to produce predetermined barrels of production.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the holes in said upstanding tube are all of the same size selected so as to provide together a flow of treated oil through said tube to produce predetermined barrels of production.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,005,977 10/1911 Jones -176 X 2,188,018 1/1940 Stewart 55-175 2,718,308 9/1955 LeBus 55176 X 3,071,189 1/1963 Colvin 166-68 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner. N, C. BYERS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A APPARATUS FOR COLD TREATING OF CRUDE MINERAL OIL CONTAINING AN AQUEOUS EMULSION OF PARAFFIN OR ASPHALT, A SUPPLY LINE FOR SAID OIL, A CONTROL VALVE IN SAID SUPPLY LINE, A RISER, A FIRST CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID SUPPLY LINE TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID RISER, A FIRST MEANS IN SAID RISER FOR CONVERTING A BODY OF SAID OIL, WHEN CONTAINED THEREIN INTO 